Russian Roulette
by Niyin
Summary: AU, in which Merlin is a famous thief and Arthur the one agent at the school for secret agents that has to catch him. And it's like trying to hunt down a ghost... a cheeky, elusive and somewhat childish ghost. But when they finally get near the thief, does Arthur really want to send him to prison? No slash. Story begins in the second chapter (1st chapter's a teaser for later on).
1. Teaser: 21 Guns

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone:)  
I haven't got time to explain right now, please read my profile if you want to know what this is.  
Anyways, for all who are too lazy, this is _only a teaser_ for a story. I have part of the first chapter on my computer, but have to rewrite it. All depending on your reviews to this teaser-thingy. PLus, I don't like the last few sentences and will rewrite them- like I said, no time at the moment.  
Enjoy and please R&R! :D  
**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Merlin.  
**

"Chut now!" Arthur hissed, glaring at Gwaine. The other agent grinned somewhat smugly, but luckily shut up, giving his leader the chance to overthink their situation.

All 20 agents that his father had assigned to him for this mission (including Gwaine, Lance, Leon, Percival and Elyan) were positioned in regular intervals around the old warehouse they presumed- no, _knew_ the Thief was in. After all there were only two visible entrances- the frintdoor and one on the roof- and no windows through which he could have fled. Now a whole 20 agents only waited for Arthur's command to storm the house.  
So where did the strange feeling in his stomach come from?

Shaking his head at the ridiculous thought- surely it was only the nervousness, it had taken ages to find the thief's hiding place and no one before him had even managed _that_, so it was only fair to be a little anxious- Arthur made a sign of hand to the others to stay behind, before he waved his five comrades forward, only pausing a second at Gwaine's grin. Together they slowly approximated the frontdoor.

Before Arthur could make a move to stop him, Gwaine already had a hand on the door, pushing hard. _As if it was open! _Even the Thief was clever enough to lock his door when a whole squadron of special agents stood in front of it.

To the general surprise, the door easily gave in and Gwaine stumbled forward, only held back by Lance and Percival before he could fall into the warhouse. Pushing it further open, Arthur looked for the first time at the Thief's hdidng place.

It wasn't exactly what one would expect when they heard the description of the super rich genius, that used their power for thievery of all kind. Of course, there was a computer, and a fairly expensive one too, since the Thief seemed to perform most of his crimes through the internet. But there was no bed, only a rather old-looking red sofa, and that's where the strangeness started.

The computer was placed in the very middle of the warehouse, looking forlorn in the about 500 square metres big hall. In one corner the agent could make out a shelf with what seemed to be books and a game of chess. The sofa stood on the opposite side, like in some odd kind of pattern. And that wasn't even the worst.  
All walls were painted in various colours- green, red, yellow, grey, orange, blue,... - like their owner couldn't decide on one colour and instead simply had used them all. At places, images were painted across the orgiginal colour, smileys alternating with mathematical or chemical formulas and seemingly meaningless circles. The agent even spotted an unicorn and a dragon in one corner, beside the shelf.

All in all, the place was pretty unusual as the hide of a criminal mastermind, and also rather frustratingly empty of said mastermind.

The six agents let their eyes wander suspiciously- he must hide, of course, but where?- while the other 15 slowly advanced to get a better look at the room, some gasping or grinning when they discovered the walls. Finally when neither could make out any obvious trap, Arthur slowly took a pace forward, ready to defend himself at any moment.

Nothing happened. The agent moved slowly on, not allowing himself to relax. The Thief _must_ be somewhere...

_"Do you know what's worth fighting for?"_

The whole group startled at the sudden sound, spinning around in search of its origin.

_"When it's not worth dying for? _  
_Does it take your breath away _  
_And you feel yourself suffocating?"_

Arthur frowned. This wasn't even the thief's voice. Plus, it was underlined by music...

_"Does the pain weigh out the pride? _  
_And you look for a place to hide? _  
_Did someone break your heart inside? _  
_You're in ruins"_

By now, everyone was gazing around confusedly, all listening intently to the song. Arthur looked like he wanted to break something. What the hell was this about?

_"One, 21 guns" _

Everyone looked down at their gun, drawn and ready to fire. _Exactly 21._ Suddenly, it dawned Arthur.

_"Lay down your arms, give up the fight _  
_One, 21 guns _  
_Throw up your arms into the sky, you and I_  
_One, 21 guns"__  
_

There was a gurgling sound and then only white noise as the song ended all at once. Camelot's finest super agents stood paralysed in shock, gazing at Arthur with wide eyes for advice like a group of idiots. Suddenly he felt fury walling up inside him, his arm moving alone as he threw his gun down. It hit the floor with a metallic _clang_, reverberating loudly through the silent hall. Then he turned abruptly and left the room, leaving it to his comrades to take the weapon.

Before he left the room, Arthur heard Gwaine chuckle behind him as the bold agent recovered first from the shock. "Well, that was unexpected."

Banging the door behind him, Arthur quickly shut his voice out and breathed the cool air in deeply to calm himself. It wasn't any good to murder Gwaine, he would just regret it later. Plus, it wasn't the other agent's fault. Better save his fury for the Thief...

Arthur took another deep breath, feeling his safe control rising. Oh, he would take revenge for the humiliation, but that wasn't even the worst. Indignity he could survive. A hurt pride he could survive.  
But just where did the thief know how many they were form?

**What do you think?**


	2. Chapter 1: Bright like a Diamond

**Author's Note:  
**

**Hi everyone! :)  
I had written the whole first chapter a few months ago, then lost the second part and somehow didn't feel like rewriting it. But since my other plotbunnies have left me (again), I've decided to write and post it- no matter how strange it sounds to me.  
Thank you for all those wonderful reviews, alerts and favourites- honestly, I never expected to get so many for a teaser-thingy :D.  
Now, here's the first chapter... enjoy and please R&R! :)  
**

**Disclaimer: I own the idea and a wonderful-crazy-_terrible _plotbunny, that's it.  
**

**Chapter 1: Bright like a Diamond**

The diamonds sparkled brightly behind their 20mm bulletproof glass.  
Arthur Pendragon, head of Camelot Agencies' A-Team and youngest top-junior-agent ever, sighed and resumed to ram his head against the equally-bulletproof wall behind him.

"I hate Germany."

_"No, you don't."_

The voice, though slightly distorted by his earpiece- he would have to ask his father or Gaius for new ones soon- clearly sounded amused. Arthur glared at the precious jewels in the vitrine before him, ignoring his two companions strange glances. They were only policemen- or military at the best- anyway, nothing compared to a special agent of CA.

"I don't know why they need me here in any case. Who would be stupid enough to rob a couple of diamonds, hidden in an armoured car with two sets of security walls and cameras almost everywhere, surrounded by guards and as if all this weren't enough additionally covered in bulletproof glass, when they could simply raid a bank instead?"

The blond-haired heard his partner chuckle, then the rattling of a keyboard and a loud slurping noise. It didn't really brighten his mood.

"So, you get to sit around and drink coffee while I have to stay the whole day in this stupid dark prison? Why couldn't it be Elyan? Or Gwaine?"

Lancelot quickly put the coffee down and worked his keyboard some more. _"You know Gwaine, just remember how important those diamonds are to our client. You are just the best agent and- yeah, win!"_

Arthur frowned at the two black-mummed guards and they quickly looked away, pretending to have stared at the wall for the whole time. When he spoke, his voice was dangerously low, more a growl than actual words.

"Lancelot, are you playing computer games?"

The keyboard went silent for a fewseconds, before the hacker cleared his throat nervously.

_"What, me? Oh come on, I know how important this mission is, I would never..."_ He was interrupted by a loud huff of laughter, causing Arthur to roll his eyes.

"Gwaine. How many of us are there listening?"

_"Oh, is the princess angry? Isn't the fluorescent lighting good for Her delicate skin?"_

"**Gwaine!**"

Arthur only noticed he had shouted as the two other guards discreetly backed away. When he came out of this car... The blond smirked in anticipation. Oh, Gwaine would regret every word.

_"Alright, alright, Your Majesty... it's just Lancelot, Elyan, Leon, Percival and me anyway."_

Arthur closed his eyes for a moment, carefully counting to 10 before he answered. Calm. And not at all _annoyed_.

"All of you? Don't you have anything better to do?"

The door to the inner car opened softly and a third black guard entered, sending one of his companions to do the next patrouillen round. The man seemed strangely relieved to quit the small room.

_"Oh, someone annoyed there? We just help poor Lance to guard the monitores. There's really a lot of cameras on the outside. Maybe you could do your round next, so we can see you whilst talking?"_

Forget the 10-counting and regretting. When he got out of here, there wouldn't be enough of Gwaine left to regret.

_"Oh, was that a growl? Now, I think we switched the dear princess accidentally with a-"_

Luckily he couldn't finish his sentence, for exactly then something seemed to explode just outside the inner wall, nearly throwing Arthur off his feet as the armoured car rocked wildly. In a matter of seconds, the blond agent was up again, jumped over the two fallen guards and stood at the door, already glancing carefully to both sides. "You see something?"

A few keys sounded, before Lancelot's worried voice came through the earpiece. _"Sorry, only smoke. Looks like some smaller bomb exploded at the other side of the car. Maybe someone trying to get in from behind. No trace of the guard, either."_

"**Hilfe!***"

The terrified scream came from his right, and Arthur instantly recognized the other guard. Cursing, the blond set off as quickly as he could, one hand pressing the black cloth on his nose and mouth when he ran into the smoke without hesitation. His eyes immediately began to water, the grey bruning like fire in his lungs, but Arthur just blinked and kept moving forward.

Suddenly something caught his foot, almost sending the agent on the floor again. His right hand closed tightly around the pistol, ducking and removing it from its hilt on instinct, even before his eyes could make out the dark shape properly. Then Arthur sighed relieved as he recognized the missing guards. Bending down, he quickly checked the pulse, one hand still at his gun.

_"What's happening? Are you alright?"_

Gwaine's voice had lost all its sarcasm, but Arthur didn't even notice. "I've found the guard. He's unconscious, but alive. I'm moving on."

Quick steps broke his explaining and Arthur shot round, almost bumping into a second guard. The blond sighed frustrated, glaring at the man.

"What the hell are you all doing here?! Always at least two with the diamonds, that's the rule. What if someone robbed them because you were too foolish to stand still?"

The guard stared at him through the lifting smoke.

"But... you called..." he mumbled, seeming totally confused.

"I didn't call anyone, I was... oh, shit!"

The realization hit Arthur like athunderbolt. They had let themselves be tricked into leaving the diamonds like some idiots, all of them. A strange explosion, that didn't even scratch the walls but made lots of smoke?

Voices calling without anyone conscious near?

And now there was only one guard left... oh, shit.

With a curse, Arthur left the guard staring confused behind him. The diamonds were priority.

He only barely heard the gasps in his earpiece, as the rest of his team also followed his thoughts. The way seemed to stretch before Arthur's feet, each step underlined with Lancelot's nervous typing, even though there were no cameras to access in the inner room.

Finally, Arthur arrived at the door, pushing it open, the pistol drawn and ready...

...he stared right into the wide blue eyes of the fourth guard that still stood unmoved behind the vitrine with diamonds.

The_ full_, _whole_ vitrine.

Arthur put his pistol away as he slumped against the wall, relieved. He had done it in time. Everything was alright.

The guard said nothing, only gazed at the agent in silence. Arthur felt a small grin forming on his lips as he nodded at his companion, still too happy to mind the staring, and the man looked away almost shyly.

"Everything is OK. The diamonds are safe."

He could hear his team sigh with relief and the typing slowed down. Everyone of them knew how important it was not to fail, especially now in their last year as AIT- Agents In Training. To be the A-Team, the best team, meant to work flawless. To be the son of the CA leader, Uther Pendragon, even more so.

Arthur's thoughts were interrupted by the return of the guard, dragging his still barely conscious friend on the back. The blond waved impatiently and he disappeared again, falling back into the normal rhythm of patrouille, while the other sat down against the wall and rubbed his hurting forehead, groaning.

"_Was_- what happened? There was a... a _Knall** _and I think I fell and..." He paused, trying to remember, but then shrugged helpless. Arthur nodded unsurprised.

"A small explosion hit you. Just sit still, don't move. You might have a concussion" Arthur ordered as the man tried to get up. They had all had to do a first aid course at the CA, something he now was quite grateful for. The guard sank back obediently as Arthur turned to the other man. "You will take turns in patrouilling with the one currently outside, while I stay with him." He motioned at the sitting guard. "It shouldn't take more than an hour now to our destination, then we get him to hospital."

The guard too nodded mutely, not even looking up from the jewels. Arthur frowned briefly, before he nodded back and leaned against the wall, feeling rather tired.

One hour of Gwaine's nonstop bickering and rambling, then they would arrive at the client's house to end the job.

Precisely one hour of hell left.

_**xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx**_

In the end, the journy to their client's house took precisely one hour, four minutes and thirty-two seconds, though it felt more like a day. Or a day and a night. If anyone could be used for torture just by talking, Arthur decided that it would be Gwaine. Just why couldn't they have left the job to the military? After all there were people trained to sit around in a car all day and protect whatever they were transporting. (Arthur shuddered at the thought. Why would anyone choose such a boring, uncomfortable job?!) Or at least find something to do for the rest of his team that didn't contain sneaky remarks and getting on his nerves?

What good did an armoured car do, if it couldn't keep Gwaine out? (And why was he too damn careful to switch his earpiece off?)

So when Arthur was finally allowed to leave the car and step into the greyish afternoon of southern Germany, he was relieved to say the least. Spring was nearing, but there were still patches of snow visible in corners and shadows, where the weak sun didn't get them. A soft breeze had picked up and caressed the agents skin as if to welcome him back into the world and Arthur took a deap breath.

He had survived.

A small grin threatened to show on his face, quickly disappearing when the other men got out- looking equally relieved- and set the glass case down on the floor next to Arthur. The son of Uther Pendragon had to look calm and composed at all times, especially in front of their clients. And a small group of men was already arriving.  
Arthur's eyes widened slightly when he recognized one of the men.

"Arthur."

"Father."

The voices sounded likewise cool, none betraying any feeling, even when the younger's thoughts were racing and he could hear his team's shocked whispering. Just as he had been taught. Uther nodded slightly, indicating a few of the men to take the glass case, while 'Arthur's' men retreated. They would get their wages later, when the safe delivery was conformed. The blond barely noticed them.

What the hell was his father doing here? Uther Pendragon rarely showed up, and if he did only to important missions- matters of state, allies and such things. He certainly wasn't visiting his son.

Arthur gulped involuntarily. It seemed like either those diamonds were more important than he had assumed, or Uther wanted to take a look at his work. Neither could end well. All the more lucky that he had managed to transport the diamonds without any huge problems- excluding the bomb, but that hadn't worked, had it?  
The young agent squared his shoulders and took a quick glance at his surroundings.

A mansion. Old stone walls, lots of ivy and an enormous driveway- nothing unexpected. Apparently the armoured car had parked right in front of the back door, which meant

1) the owner didn't want everyone to know that he had bought something as precious to rquire such a car

2) there were enough cameras, guards and possible even snipers trained on the place, so no one would be able to disappear unnoticed.

Plus the men around Uther now surrounded both of them. The owner himself hadn't appeared so far and was most likely waiting inside for his own guards to deliver the gems.

Father and son waited in silence while three of the men (all in black clothing- they should certainly change their uniforms. How should one be able to distinguish guards from assassins, if they all wore the same clolour?) punched in the code of the vitrine's keypad and a second later its lid opened with a soft 'click'. It was really all mere formality. The keypad hadn't been broken and the glass case was still full of diamonds- any missing ones would be visible without even opening the whole thing.

Arthur allowed himself a thin smile and was already prepared to turn and leave, when one of the men suddenly stopped dead, one hand in the vitrine.

"What's this?!"

Uther was at his side in a second, Arthur one moment later, and together they stared down as the man pulled a transparent chunk out. The thing was about twenty centimetres in heigth and ten in length, only containing what looked like a playing card. Not at all like diamonds that shoudl have been there instead.

The man turned the thing in his hands, frowning when it opened easily and the card fell out. There was a soft gasp when it touched the floor and Arthur looked up, only growing more confused at his fathers deadly pale face.

"Father?"

Arthur had never seen Uther so shocked before. In fact, as the head of CA he probably never had looked like that- and should never. Despite his faults, Uther could deal with all sorts of catastrophes without breaking a sweat. Which made their situation even more alarming.

_"What's going on?" _Lancelot.

The guards apparently didn't know what to do either as they stood there in silence, all staring expectantly at Uther. No one moved for a long moment, then Uther seemed to pull himself together and turned on his heel, leaving the stunned group of men and his son behind.

_"Arthur, answer! What the hell are you doing?"_ Gwaine sounded worried, but the agent ignored him nonetheless.

_"Arthur!" _Lancelot again. His team must be even more nervous than he was, but right now he couldn't deal with them. One swift movement and the earpiece fell silent.

Arthur forced his expression to remain impassive as he watched his father retreat, feeling the others' gazes on him, and finally looked down at the card that had caused Uther's panic. It wasn't much of a sight. The paper was white and shiny, as if it had only just been printed, and in the middle there was a single image.

The special agent in training furrowed his brows. On the card was the picture of a bird, probably some kind of falcon, wings spread wide in flight and claws stretched out- reaching for an invisible prey. A neat line of handwriting decorated the bottom side, so small that he had to strain his eyes in order to read it.

"Welcome back. Have you missed me? – ME"

_**xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx**_

*Hilfe! = Help!  
**Knall = bang

**What do you think? Any ideas how "ME" managed to get in the car and swap the diamonds for the glass box? :)**

**Review Responses:  
**

**Clairepenndragon:  
**Hi... finally :). And thanks for the review! I love agent!Arthur trying to catch thief!Merlin. Those stories have all opportunities open up to them- they can be hilarious, angsty, sad,... pretty much everything.  
Thief!fics, Merlin, chocolate and Sherlock would be mine... :D  
Well, the blackmailing... has all but stopped. But we can't lose hope! ;)  
Cu (hopefully...)

**The next chapter might take a while, depending on school and the plotbunny, but I think it will be from Merlin's POV- and explain the whole switching-diamonds thing. :D**


	3. Chapter 2: The Game is On

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone! :)  
Back again for the second chapter...and you'll get to know how Merlin stole those diamonds. Plus, I've decided that he has magic in this fanfictiob, 'cause I can't imagine Merlin without his magic. A few people very high up- like Uther and therefore also Gaius- know about magic, but everyone else doesn't. Magic users are considered dangerous and are hunted by specialized teams of agents. Arthur doesn't know about magic.  
Also, I want to thank everyone for your reviews, alerts and favourites- they're great! :D  
And I've finally learned how to make those grey lines to divide parts...^^  
Enjoy and please R&R! :)  
**

**Disclaimer: Don't own.**

**Chapter 2: The Game is On**

Merlin glanced at the man across the room, taking in the black clothes and cold blue eyes. A few straws of blond hair peeked out from under the equally black mask. The teeth flashed blindingly white every time he smiled or murmured something- most likely to some kind of partner on the other side of the microphone.

He was quite handsome. And completely _dumb_.

The raven-haired sighed behind the black mask of his army suit, resisting the urge to pull the scratchy thing off. This job was beginning to give him a new kind of respect for his 'companions'. He had been wearing the thick black thing for barely 15 minutes, and already small drops of sweat were running down his face. The diamonds were pressed uncomfortably through his inner pockets against the softer skin.

It had been almost annoyingly easy.

Looping the cameras for a minute while Merlin knocked one of the guards doing his rounds out and quickly took his place. Then he had left a smoke bomb and returned to the inside to wait. Another few minutes before the bomb exploded, hitting another guard (timing was everything) and sending Blondie running like a headless chicken. The other had easily followed his recorded cry, leaving Merlin alone with a vitrine full of diamonds.

The rest had really been a child's game. Apparently everyone always forgot that bulletproof glass was of no use if the lock wasn't secure enough- or at least too unsafe for Merlin's powers. They didn't call him a genius for nothing (even though his magic had kinda helped). To be fair- Blondie had realized rather fast that something was off. But by the time he returned, gaze flickering between Merlin and the seemingly full box of diamonds, the thief had long exchanged a few diamonds in the middle for the prepared glass with his note.

Despite the rush as the tension slowly left him, Merlin couldn't help a flash of guilt as Blondie slumoed against the wall. He would surely pay for losing the precious jewels- hopefully he was important to whatever Agency he was from, so they wouldn't fire him straightaway. Maybe Merlin would spy a bit, see what had happened to him. After all, it wasn't Blondie's fault that he was a bit thick.

Almost on cue the secret agent (that he was for sure) smiled.

"Everything is OK. The diamonds are safe."

Merlin looked away to hide his smirk as he settled down and made himself comfortable. Another hour of waiting, before they would arrive and he would be able to sneak off to his hiding place. Precisely one hour before the Secret Services and Agencies would read his note and begin to hunt him down.

The junior genius' eyes gleamed as he smiled. In one hour all hell would break lose.

And he couldn't wait to watch.

* * *

"What's the matter?"

Gaius and his father ignored him, both staring intently at the computer screen. Arthur frowned and moved to the side, trying to catch a glimps of whatever they were looking at with worry (Gaius) and barely hidden anger (Uther). Behind him his team were doing exactly the same and the junior agent put his arms out to stop them. Something was off about the situation and Arthur wanted to know what it was, before he let his team past. Someone- Arthur recognized Gwaine- growled slightly, until Lancelot shushed him.

They knew exactly as much as he did, which was less than any of them liked. Arthur had explained everything about the strange note on the way back in the car as well as tried to ask his father, but the divider between the front seats and the back seats had slid closed almost instantly after he got in, making it very clear that Uther didn't want to talk. He couldn't get anything from his cold eyes on the way from the car to their headquarter in Germany either, where to his suprise his whole team and Gaius, their physician/advisor/handler, had already been waiting.

And that's what they had been doing for the last 15 minutes or so, while Gaius and Uther were looking at the computer and discussing quietly. Lance had gone as far as pulling his mobile out and starting to... _research_ things, which for the hacker meant trying to get access to the source (in this case Gaius' computer). They all knew that it wouldn't work. He had already tried on several occassions. Lance was good- but he wasn't good enough for Camelot's fire walls. No one was.

Gwaine on his part had taken a bug and tried to roll it across the floor towards the two men, before Arthur's glare had stopped him. They all wanted to know what was going on, but that didn't mean that they could risk a punishment. Uther wasn't able to see a joke when it concerned his privacy- obviously a spy-thing.

Finally Gaius sighed and turned towards them, silently raising an eye brow at the mobile in Lance's and the small machine in Gwaine's hands. Both agents blushed and put their things away. No one was immune to the power of Gaius' brows. Uther stayed with his eyes on the computer, suddenly looking very tired. For a moment everything was quiet, then Gaius started to talk.

"We believe that a certain... thief has once again made his appearance."

Six blank faces looked back at him. The old physician sighed again.

"I guess you've never heard of the falcon-card-cases."

All junior agents shook their head, thoughts racing. Falcon-_card_-cases? Arthur remembered the white card in the glass chunk. There had been a bird, maybe a falcon, on it. Plus the message... _welcome back_.

Gaius' voice tore him abruptly from his thoughts, and the blond agent concentrated again on the man as he pressed a few keys to make an image appear on the whiteborad behind him. It was the same card that Arthur had seen earlier, just without the writing. _Bingo!_

"The falcon-card-cases are a few cases of robbery some five years back in England. They are top secret and were never to be spoken of again. Sadly, we have to make an exception. It seems like the thief has reappeared."

Five years. Back then they would have been at school, studying to become an agent but not yet allowed to take missions themselves.

Gwaine had relaxed the moment he had heard the word 'robbery', though Lance looked even more worried and Arthur wondered suddenly if the man knew something. Or it was just Gaius' tone of voice.

"Don't make the mistake to underestimate this case, like we did back then. They all seemed like simple robberies, easy enough for a team of junior agents to take. Scotland Yard had only contacted the Agency, because they had a problem- they couldn't find any traces, apart from one card. This."

He gestured at the image behind him, pausing slightly. "We sent our A-team, the best agents we had. They were eager to finish the job and everything seemed alright for a while. Then one of the agents died."

Another pause. Gwaine's smile had disappeared and he was unconsciously leaning forward, while Elyan's wide-eyed gaze flickered between Gaius and the card. Even Percival seemed slightly disturbed.

"We called the other agents back. None of them could tell us how it had happened- they had split up to catch the thief. Their poor comrade had been the one closest to where they suspected him. The team was dispersed and sent to Belleville University."

The place where all failed agents ended- they would get a good job, lots of money and the promise to be hunted down if they ever told a word of what they had seen or done in Camelot. It was a pleasant life, but nothing compared to the thrill of being an agent.

Elyan lifted his hand and Gaius signed him to speak.

"Then what do we know about this thief?"

"A good question. We have seen his card, which shows a falcon- most likely some kind of American Kestrel or Merlin falcon. From his behaviour he seems to be a single-working male, though we can't be sure, because every time he broke into a building the cameras were hacked so they didn't show him, while everyone else was clearly visible. He stopped after the death, which could be a sign of morals, yet he has returned now- barely five years later. The diamonds are the most valuable item he has stolen so far, but it seems as if they were rather to make himself noticed than for their price, like his robs were five years ago. He is getting more experienced and reckless. Someone who _needs_ attention. And we think that he has..." Gaius paused shortly, glancing at Uther. "...certain talents."

This time Arthur spoke up. "Talents?"

The old physician seemed conflicted for a moment, then he sighed. "You will be told more when you need to know more. Right now, all that is important is that this man is very dangerous. We believe that he is still in Germany, but we can't control the borders without knowing what he looks like. And this is where you come in- we need more information. Your job is to examine this thief, analyse every move he makes and try to get a better picture. Do not- under no circumstances- try to capture him. We have trained agents for that. You will get everything that you think you need paid by the Agency. _Please _don't waste the money. There is no way alcohol will be useful for your mission."

He shot Gwaine a glare and the agent grinned innocently, his comrades chuckling as the atmosphere lightened slightly. "I would never waste something as beautiful as money, now would I? Gaius, come on, you know me."

"That's what worries me," the older man answered, still eying Gwaine warily. "Anyway, are you ready to accept this mission?"

Arthur exchanged a few quick glances with his team, all giving him a small nod or smile, before he turned back towards Gaius and his father. Uther had moved at the physician's last words and caught his son's gaze, steely grey bearing into blue.

"We're more than ready."

**They say the first impression is the most important, don't they? Poor Arthur... he isn't all that dumb. Oh, and before you ask- I haven't decided if Lance knows something yet. **

**Now, whatcha thinking? :D (Gaius does talk a lot... ^^)  
**


	4. Chapter 3: Ghost

**Author's Note:**

**Hi everyone:)  
And chapter number three- I had planned on continuing my original story, but somehow that plotbunny wouldn't let me. I think most have looked forward to this moment, thought it's really only a half-thingy and a lot sooner than I'd like... already guess what? Oh well, I'll shut up and let you read :D.  
Just, thanks for the reviews, alerts and favourites. I love each of them^^.  
Enjoy and please R&R! :D  
**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Merlin.**

**Chapter 3: Ghost**

"Would you like something to drink?"

Arthur didn't even hear the steward, too caught up in his own musing. What had Gaius meant with 'certain talents'? The way he had glanced at Uther, it couldn't be anything good. More the opposite. And of course his father wouldn't want him to know of whatever it was.

Sometimes Uther really was a hypocrite, even his son had to see that. They had always been taught to get as much information as possible before accepting a job- the more dangerous, the more information. Both Gaius and Uther seemed to believe that this job was extremely dangerous, yet they were obviously not telling something.

That was why Arthur was now on his way- or rather, on the airplane- to northern Germany. Someone _had _to know about those old missions, even they were top secret. Knowing his source, especially when they were top secret.

He had only met the woman once, but obviously she was some kind of old acquaintance of Uther, even if his father hadn't talked to her in ages and seemed to almost fear her. All in all, his father certainly wouldn't be happy to hear that Arthur had visited her, but from what she had implied the last time they had met she knew a lot more than most. _Maybe that's why Uther had broken contact? _

Anyway, it meant that he had had to leave his team behind- that way they wouldn't be blamed if anything went wrong- as well as his personal jet, and had taken a public airplane. Luckily the plane was rather empty and he had a row all by himself.

Someone snapped their fingers right before Arthur's eyes and the secret agent startled, only then noticing the wide grin of a steward. The man- almost _boy_- looked about Arthur's age, maybe a bit younger, his deadly pale skin contrasting with a mop of unruly black hair. The oceanic blue eyes sparkled as if to compete against the smile. He was wearing the blue uniform of a steward along with pushing a drink cart before him.

"Someone in there?"

The amusement was clear in his voice and Arthur frowned. He couldn't have been asking more than one or two times, could he? Apparently the staff here was a lot worse than in Camelot's usual planes. He should have bought first class, but the risk was too big that someone would notice if he spend too much money.

"Don't they train their stewards to be a little more _respectful _here?"

"Oh, they tried." The boy was still grinning from one ear to the other. "Aren't men in suits said to be a little bit more _polite_?"

Arthur frowned at the cheeky reply. Well, if the boy wanted to play- he could play, too. Part of their training had included to react extremely fast. The point hadn't exactly been to ready the agents for duels of wit, but it did a good job at that as well. "I can't see anyone worthy of my charms here."

The other pursed his lips, blue eyes narrowing slightly, as if he was trying to assess his opponent. It looked almost ridiculous on the lanky boy. "Well, then we're at a draw. 'Cause I can't see anyone worthy of my respect either."

"Not exactly." Arthur raised a brow, looking pointedly at the blue uniform. "I can make the company fire you, where you could do nothing. I could take you apart with one call."

The agent had expected different reactions; frustration, fear, backtracking- quite frankly, he had expected everything from anger to disbelief. What he _didn't _expect though was for the boy to start laughing. It was a real laugh, not one of those fake snickers the politicians seemed to like, reveberating through the whole plane. An older couple turned to look and then smiled, obviously thinking that the two of them were joking despite Arthur's cold gaze.

If he hadn't expected the laughter, the answer took him more than completely by surprise. Damn all reaction training.

"I could take you apart with less than that."

Now it was Arthur's time to chuckle. The guy was a skinny steward, no matter what megalomania he possessed- he was barely more than bones and skin. What did he think he could do? "I would like to see you try", Arthur answered simply, watching the boy's face.

To his surprise, his opponent flashed him a dazzling smile, bright enough that it made his whole face shine. "I'm not really in the mood now, thanks." He paused, suddenly looking pensive as Arthur nodded to himself- he hadn't expected anything else. Bark but no bite. "But I think I'll remember your invitation."

With that he pushed the cart forwrad and disappeared before Arthur could so much as open his mouth. The agent shook his head, chuckling slightly at the strange encounter as he leaned back in his chair. It wasn't until ten minutes later that he noticed that the strange steward hadn't given him anything to drink. Neither had he worn a name tag.

Arthur huffed- the service was really getting worse and worse. Next time he's definitely buy first class, no matter the risks. And well, after all he could still question the staff at the airport about their strange member, if he felt like it. No one dared to make fun of a Pendragon and got away with it.

* * *

Arthur wasn't one to break his promises. Right after arriving at the gate (he had only brought some handluggage with him, after all he didn't plan on staying for more than a day or two if necessary) the agent put his best smile on and stalked towards the checkpoint. The woman didn't notice him at first, only lifting her head after he coughed slightly, but her annoyed gaze quickly melted away as she took in his smile. Arthur congratulated himself in silence.

"Was kann ich für Sie tun?", she chirped with her best look-how-sweet-I-am-voice. _What can I do for you?_ The agent sighed inwardly, but widened his grin.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance, but I fear I have to raise a complaint against one of the stewards on my flight. He was behaving rather rude towards the guests, such as myself."

Who knew that his cheeks could hurt just by smiling?

The woman- Mary, her name tag said- nodded very seriously and began to type something in the computer next to her, changing to English when she replied. "I'm sorry, what flight were you on?"

"The one from Stuttgart. I arrived at seven past ten," Arthur replied, not bothering to check his watch. He had a knack for numbers. They liked to stick in his head.

There was a short moment of silence, while the woman typed, before she frowned (somehow his gut feeling told him he wouldn't like what was about to happen) and shrugged apologetically. "There was no steward on your flight, only a few stewardesses."

"What?!"

Forget about the smile. Arthur leaned across the counter, ignoring Mary's protest as he quickly scanned the information on the screen.

Three stewardesses, pilot, co-pilot, 14 guests. _No steward._ She was telling the truth. But he had seen the boy with his own eyes. How was that possible? It was the right flight, he had already checked.

"Excuse me?" Mary piped up again. "Maybe I'll recognize him if you would be so kind to describe him. The computer could have an error."

Arthur nodded, trying to calm himself. Was was it that about that boy made him freak out?

"He was lanky, but tall."

Perhaps even as tall as himself, though Arthur remembered clearly how fragile his opponent had looked. He took another deep breathe and opened his mouth again.

Then suddenly something strange happened. A soft thing- like a breeze- could be felt in the air, confusing his senses more than a simple breeze should. Mary looked unfazed, as if she hadn't even felt the sudden wind, still waiting for him to continue.

"His haircolour?" she prompted, obviously noticing that Arthur wasn't going to talk by himself.

"Dark..." He frowned. Was it black? Brown? Everything seemed blurred, like a dream. "...I think," the agent finished weakly. One of Mary's perfect thin brows rose, but she nodded nonetheless.

"Eye colour?"

"Blue." This time he didn't have to think. The eyes had had the same colour as the uniform- which was a blinding blue.

Mary sighed again, obviously starting to get annoyed. "I'm really sorry, sir, but I know of no man that fits your description."

_No thin man with blue eyes and dark hair in the whole crowd of stewards?_

She seemed to sense his disbelief, shrugging. "Most think the job isn't manly enough. And I don't know everyone."

"Let me see the video footage."

Mary protested instantly. "But sir-"

Arthur pulled out one of his badges, identifying him as John Farner of the Bundesnachrichtendienst, the German Secret Service. Mary sucked in air between her teeth, but complied. After a few more clicks, a grainy image of the plane appeared on the computer. It was a matter of seconds to find himself on the video, looking bored in his seat.

Arthur reached over to fast-forward the video, waiting for the strange man to appear. _There! _A drink cart was moving along the way. The boy had been the first steward to push a cart past him that day, Arthur was sure of it. The cart stopped next to his seat for a while, before video-Arthur suddenly startled and turned, frowning as he discussed something with his opposite.

Only that there was no opposite.

The agent watched in disbelief as his screen-self got more and more annoyed, gestruing to express his words. The older couple turned and smiled- probably at the strange young man behind them. Then the scene ended with Arthur chuckling and leaning back as the cart continued forward, seemingly all by itself.

It wasn't possible. The man had been right _there_, pushing the cart, talking to him! He couldn't just disappear! _It wasn't possible!_

Mary smiled, a mixture between uncertainty and apologizing. "I don't know how that cart managed to get loose and roll the whole way through the plane, but that has happened before. Of course I will instantly inform the higher-ups."

Arthur nodded, only barely regaining his composure. "Thank you. This has been most helpful."

With another smile, so fake that it hurt, the agent turned swiftly and left. All the while feeling like something was clawing at his insides.

'Certain talents' didn't cover it. At all.

**So... what do you think? Was it too soon?  
And yup, Merlin used a spell to make Arthur forget him- or, well, blur the memory a bit.**

**Oh, and I haven't decided on who Arthur wants to visit (though there is a rather obvious possibility). Or if he will visit her at all, after what happened. I'm being spontaneous^^.**

**What would you like? Should he visit her? :)**


End file.
